Carthaginians Strategy Guide

Learn how to conquer Humankind's highest difficulty with the Carthaginians! Get tips on early game strategy, combat, and resource management to secure victory.

Hey there! So you're looking to get a handle on the Carthaginians in Humankind, huh? This guide is all about helping you tackle the game on the toughest setting, 'Humankind Difficulty'. I've played this game a ton, especially on this hard mode, and I've picked up a few tricks that I think will really help you out. Keep in mind, the game's still pretty new and gets updated, so some of this might change down the line, but the core ideas should stick around.

Humankind Difficulty and General Strategy

Alright, let's talk about what makes 'Humankind Difficulty' so challenging. The AI gets some pretty sweet bonuses right off the bat:

• +3 Food per Farmer in all Cities
• +3 Industry per Worker in all Cities
• +3 Money per Trader in all Cities
• +3 Science per Researcher in all Cities
• +60 Stability on all Cities
• +2 Combat Strength on all Units

Now, those FIMS (Food, Industry, Money, Science) bonuses might sound huge, and they are early on, but here's the kicker: they don't scale up as much as you might expect later in the game. For example, that +9 industry bonus in a small early city is tough to overcome, but in a massive late-game AI city, a +45 industry bonus is actually pretty manageable with just one or two specialized districts. This means you're going to feel the pressure early, but things should theoretically get easier for you as the game progresses.

That +2 Combat Strength bonus for the AI is no joke, though. It's like giving them a free upgrade on all their units, making early combat really risky. Honestly, you'll want to avoid fighting until at least the Classical or Medieval era if you can. Later in the game, picking up the 'Professional Soldiers' Civic and leaning towards the 'Homeland' ideology can really help even the playing field.

The stability bonus for the AI is a bit harder to pin down, but it likely decreases in impact as you get more ways to boost your own stability, especially through trading for luxury resources. So, keep an eye on those trade routes!

So, what's the game plan? Here’s the general strategy I’d recommend:

1. Avoid early wars: Seriously, don't pick fights until at least the Classical era, and usually, the Medieval era is a safer bet.
2. Focus on trade: Get those trade routes going, especially for luxury resources. They're key to keeping your stability up.
3. Go wide, not tall: Pick up early cultures like Agrarian and Builder that help you expand and develop. This 'wide' playstyle helps you scale better into the late game when the AI's bonuses become less significant.
4. Aim for stars: Your ultimate goal is to rack up as many stars (Fame) as possible. The game is won by whoever has the most Fame by the end.